What is your opinion on the hobby's status?

[davej]

Originally Posted by gobytron

We play a fairly major role in the destruction or depletion of ocean ecosystems.

I think you are wrong.
Pollution and runoff from farming, kills off and damages way more than our hobby ever could. The amounts harvested for the aquarium trade pales to the damage done by phosphate laden waters dumped into the oceans from farming and the like.